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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| N. Korea Agrees to Return of Nuke Inspectors |
| 2010-12-21 |
| In drip-feed of concessions apparently aimed at kickstarting dialogue with the U.S., North Korea has pledged to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to return to a nuclear facility at Yongbyon and to negotiate the sale of fuel rods abroad. CNN on Monday said the North made the announcement to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who was on what was billed as a private visit there. The North expelled IAEA inspectors in April last year when it pulled out of six-party nuclear disarmament talks in protest at UN Security Council censure over its test-launch of a long-range rocket. The North also agreed to "negotiate the sale of 12,000 fresh fuel rods and ship them to an outside country," a CNN correspondent accompanying Richardson said, "presumably South Korea." It "agreed to consider Richardson's proposal for a military commission between the United States, North Korea and South Korea as well as a separate hotline for the Koreas' militaries." The U.S. administration reacted without enthusiasm, maintaining that Richardson was in the North as a private citizen and has no authority to close any deals on behalf of his government. Seoul indicated it will wait until Richardson briefs the U.S. administration on the full results of his visit. "Seoul, Washington and Tokyo have agreed that there will be no negotiations with Pyongyang while it continues nuclear development," a senior South Korean government official said. "North Korea will first have to announce a detailed plan for the inspection of all nuclear facilities, including any uranium enrichment plants." "If it is genuinely willing to denuclearize, it should present an action plan to the South Korean and U.S. governments instead of a private citizen" like Richardson, the official added. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 BULL SHIT |
| Posted by: Clomotch Smith5797 2010-12-21 22:15 |